20 
iiished with six black leg’s ; they are produced 
from cylindrical formed buff-coloured eggs. These 
eg’gs are dejiosited by the perfect insect in groups 
of from a few in number to fifty and upwards, 
generally on the under-side of leaves, and some- 
times on the branches j in the course of a few 
days they send forth the young, which, after 
feeding a few weeks, are transformed into the 
perfect insect. When perfect their shape is very 
regular, and nearly the form of an oval. The 
testaceous wing cases of the most common kind 
ai’e red, spotted on each side with three black 
spots, and the head, thorax, body, and feet black. 
There ai’e others with only one spot on each 
wing case ; and also others, with bright black 
wing cases, each of which are spotted with 
tliree red spots, in this state they feed upon the 
Aphides, but not so ravenously as when in the 
immature or larvae state. There are several 
broods in one year, the first of which is produced 
from the egg of the perfect insect about the 
latter end of May. The perfect insect of one or 
other of these broods may be met with in search 
of its prey through the greatest part of the spring, 
summer, and autumn months, providing the wea- 
ther proves favourable : its retreat during the 
winter months is mostly under rough bark of 
trees, among fallen leaves, or thickets of plants, 
and it resumes its pursuits in the^ spring. This 
little animal leads me to observe how essential it is 
that we should acfpiaint ourselves as much as 
